Booty Bay is a large pirate city nestled into the cliffs surrounding a beautiful blue lagoon on the southern tip of Stranglethorn Vale. The city is entered by traversing through the bleached-white jaws of a giant shark, or you can travel there with a Flight Master. Horde players usually access the city using the boat from Ratchet; Alliance low level players in the Eastern Kingdoms can brave the road from Duskwood or swim along the coast from Westfall, while those in Kalimdor may risk the roads through Ashenvale and the Northern Barrens to take the Ratchet boat.

First-time arrivals to Booty Bay may find it tough to find nearby quest-givers thanks to the many walkways, planks and ramps used to get around the city and its many 'layers'. However, players of all level ranges can be expected to be found going about their business in Booty Bay. Frequent visitors will more than likely fit in the 35-45 range. The quests available from the locals reflect this range nicely.

If you fall into the water, you can get back onto the docks by swimming to the centre of the U-shaped docks, where there will be a small ramp leading up from the water to dry land.

The water there occasionally has floating wreckage and schools of fish. The Schools that are most often are Firefin Snappers, Oily Blackmouths, and Stonescale Eels. Fishing in the floating wreckage will also give you very high chances of fishing out chests and items, making Booty Bay an ideal place for fishing.

To get here, at the entrance before you go down the slope towards the boat, turn left; they are at the second building along, just after the armorcrafter

Inn (with Mailbox), on the second and third floors, roughly halfway between where the second floor begins and where it ends; innkeeper is on the second floor (the bottom of the inn, second floor of town)

Windrider Master - May seem difficult to find, though in reality it shouldn't be. On the south side of town, there is a tavern. Travel to the very top level of the tavern where there is a balcony with a Tauren and a Goblin, the goblin being Baron Revilgaz. As soon as you come onto the balcony, turn immediately left to see a small walkway. This walkway will lead you to the Flight Path platform complete with a couple of bruisers.

Early World of Warcraft history

During the alpha phase of World of Warcraft's initial development, Booty Bay was designed differently. However, with the way boat transportation was going to work, change was needed.

Ganking in the Bay (PvP Servers)

Early in World of Warcraft, Booty Bay served as a popular ganking spot when guilds assembled there to run Zul'Gurub or get the Hakkar buff, but contrary to urban legend, there is no reputation level at which players can attack other players without fear of reprisal from the guards.

Although the majority of Booty Bay is patrolled by bruisers, its complexity creates several ganking spots where players may attack others without aggroing the goblins. One absolute spot is the second floor of the inn in the hallway before the room where the rogue trainer resides. Others include several areas above the rooftops which take some initiative to find. In addition watch out when shopping in the arcade — it is not patrolled by Bruisers and the vendors won't assist you or summon help if you're attacked.

It is also worth noting that, for the past two years at least, on the day after New Years the town becomes an even greater volatile place for active PVP. The guards of the bay all sleep following the drunken escapades of the night before and do not awaken until the 2nd of January. Thus, it is commonplace for the entire harbour to become a large battlefield which should be avoided by lower players.

In Cataclysm

Tensions between Booty Bay and the Bloodsail Buccaneers have come to a head.

The statue of Baron Revilgaz has been partially damaged, exposing hidden treasure. The large red cannons have fallen into the sea, and flotsam and jetsam can be seen littered around the harbor. Booty Bay has been partially damaged.